I don’t know about you but my most anticipated day of the year isn’t my birthday, Christmas, New Year’s Eve or any other major holiday. It’s the NBA Trade Deadline and yes I believe it should be a National Holiday but that’s for another day. For years I would sit glued to the radio, ESPN and now Twitter waiting to hear every nugget of news that was available.
The NBA Trade Deadline is rarely dull and this year was maybe the best ever!
Okay, enough of that. You didn’t come here to hear how great the Trade Deadline was; what you really came here for was to know how it affects your Fantasy team. I get that and without further ado here are the Fantasy Basketball relevant Trade Deadline moves.
Cleveland Cavaliers
George Hill is widely available and brings his NBA leading three point shooting percentage (45 percent) to a Cleveland team with LeBron James as the chief playmaker. Hill is going to think he died and went to heaven having a player like James setting him up for triple after triple. Hill may also see an uptake in assists but that’s about it. If you need three point shots to help you make the playoffs grab the widely available Hill immediately.
Rodney Hood is another sharpshooting guard who probably feels like he died and went to heaven as he also benefits from playing alongside James. Hood is a career 37 percent shooter from beyond the arc and this season has been knocking down nearly three of them per night. Hood will also benefit from the faster pace the Cavaliers play. Hood is widely available and would be a good pickup in any league format.
Jordan Clarkson appeared to be the future for the Los Angeles Lakers. Then the Lakers drafted Lonzo Ball and Clarkson became expendable. Clarkson is probably going to serve the same backup point guard role in Cleveland that he did in Los Angeles. Clarkson is a good source of threes and has terrific shooting percentages and is a decent passer and rebounder. If you have a spot on your roster grab him before it’s too late.
Larry Nance Jr is just what the Cavaliers need; a solid backup center and power forward who knows how to bang away inside. Those things aren’t necessarily good for fantasy basketball but the Cavaliers aren’t a fantasy basketball team so it’s okay. Nance will be coming off the bench and right now he is more a deep league option in leagues of 14 teams or more.
Los Angeles Lakers
Isaiah Thomas has recently returned from an extreme absence and in the 15 games he played for the Cavaliers he had a 28 percent Usage Rate and didn’t have much in the way of numbers to show for it. He’ll come off the bench for the Lakers and maybe even play alongside Lonzo Ball as Ball is much bigger and can guard shooting guards. He’s highly owned so I would probably let him be someone else’s problem in 2018.
Channing Frye is also a member of the Lakers and outside of three pointers he really doesn’t have much value. He might play 10-15 minutes a night or he could get bought out. Outside of a one off streaming option in a deep league Frye doesn’t have much Fantasy Basketball appeal.
Utah Jazz
Jae Crowder was a plus defender in Boston and a minus defender in Cleveland and now he is with a team that puts a premium on defense maybe his defense will return to level he was in Boston. Crowder will more than likely come off the bench and he should see 25 minutes a night. He still can knock down the triple and has a high free throw shooting percentage but that’s about it. I think his Fantasy Basketball relevance is limited to deeper leagues of 14 teams or more.
Derrick Rose was also traded to Utah but has since been bought out and still searching for a job. Sadly the former MVP hasn’t any Fantasy Basketball value at all.
Miami Heat
Dwyane Wade has made a happy return to the Heat and in his first game with his new team played 22 minutes with minimal production. Wade will have his nights when he is on fire and nights when he is cold as ice. He is really good for blocks, assists and his shooting percentages aren’t too bad. Wade is still under 60 percent owned so if you need blocks and assists Wade might be great for leagues of 12 teams or more.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns have been really hurting at point guard this season so they went out and acquired point guard Elfrid Payton from the Orlando Magic. Payton should see 30 plus minutes right out of the gate and with no one other than Devin Booker to run the point he will certainly see plenty of run for the Suns. The biggest problem with Payton other than his horrible free throw shooting percentage is that he’s just too darn inconsistent. Maybe it was Magic Coach Frank Vogel, or the lousy Magic team but the Suns aren’t much better. Payton is owned in roughly 80 percent of the fantasy hoops industry and if he is on your waiver wire you can use him in any league format.
New York Knicks
As if the Knicks didn’t have enough point guards fighting for playing time they went out and acquired point guard Emanuel Mudiay from the Denver Nuggets. Unless you are playing in a league with 14 teams or more there are far better options than Mudiay because he won’t get more than 15-18 minutes a night for the Knicks.
That should do it for the 2018 Trade Deadline. Our next thing to look forward to is the Buyout Period which began Friday February 9, 2018.
Enjoy the NBA this week!!
Follow Phil @Flashtennis31 and The Phil Naessens Show.
